Lotus has launched a new version of its Exige S, badged the Exige LF1, which celebrates the brand's 81 F1 grand prix wins to date.

Only 81 LF1s will be made, with each benefitting from unique finishes and myriad upgrades. There's a price to pay for exclusivity though, as ably demonstrated here – the list price is £62,900, some £8290 more than a standard Exige S.

The most notable revision, compared to the standard S, is the adoption of a bespoke black-and-gold paint scheme which is designed to evoke memories of Lotus's F1 livery from the 1970s and 1980s.

The LF1 additionally includes Lotus' 'Race Pack' as standard, which adds launch control, an exhaust bypass valve override switch, retuned suspension to suit the new tyres and a four-mode stability system.

Performance remains otherwise unchanged. The 1176kg LF1's supercharged 3.5-litre V6 engine produces the same 345bhp and 295lb ft, allowing for a claimed 0-62mph time of 4.0sec and a top speed of 170mph.

Buyers of LF1s also get further benefits, including tours of both the Lotus Cars Factory and the Lotus F1 headquarters, a 1:2 scale replica of Romain Grosjean's helmet and a Lotus F1-branded USB stick.

a lotus revival but learning that one of the "premium" upgrades on this model is air conditioning does make your heart sink a bit. Is anyone really going to buy this vehicle with a kit-car standard interior at a substantial premium to the newly announced Cayman? I'm sure it's a fabulous toy and maybe there are enough wealthy people out there to sell 81 of them but to think back to the glory days of Lotus on both track and the road is deeply depressing. Can't imagine why one of the major manufacturers doesn't snap it up and get on with it.